Bab 25: The First Riddle
285 AC, Tyrosh…
After the meeting, Gerold went out with Aemar and turned his direction towards the inner regions of the city. After the plans he made in the meeting room, he needed to finish his trips to other cities quickly as he needed to control the general trade in the western shores for his plans regarding Westeros.
Thus, Gerold was going to the Temple of Trios and his next target was the Trios. Unlike the Drunken God, Trios was different as he was not concerned with mortal matters and the only thing he did was receive prayers from his heretics and grant them their wishes if they can solve his riddles. As a being with an established temple, he was stronger than Drunken God so except for some prayers he did not need to do anything else.
Gerold stopped by a few soup houses during his walk throughout the streets and listened to the prayers of his believers. One of them was particularly interesting as the person who was praying was Ferora Ormel, the one who stabbed her brother without knowing.
Gerold learned from her that after staying for a night in the temple she was sent to her home but, apparently, her father was living on debts of others so as soon as the news went out about her father's death the debtors came to her door to demand payment.
The debtors sold the house and all the other things inside of it but it was still not covering the debt so they tried to kidnap the girl and sell her to a well-known whorehouse. However, Ferora escaped from them and took refuge in the temple as only the believers and the selected people were allowed to enter the temple. Though the debtors tried to enter by saying they were believers, with some quick questions they were kicked out.
Thus, the debtors went to the Archon of the city to demand justice but there was something they did not know, Archon was also a believer. However, Belidos Vollaar, as an Archon, needed to be fair in his judgement so he offered them to pay the girls debts in her stead. Of course, the debtors accepted this went on their way.
Nevertheless, Ferora did not have anywhere to stay as her father was dead and her mother was executed because of her crimes so she chose to serve as a priestess in the temple and right now, she was giving food to the poor at the soup house Gerold was visiting.
Ferora's prayers were for the soul of her father and brother. She was also asking forgiveness from God for her sins as a kinslayer. Gerold told her to continue to serve God to wash away her sins and he also told her that this was the only way for salvation for her.
Gerold's words were seen as a beacon of light by Ferora as the knot in her heart was finally unravelled.
…
After spending some time at soup houses, Gerold arrived at the temple of the Trios. His visit was not well received by the priests but, nevertheless, they were invited inside for some reason.
Despite having an established temple, the religion of Trios did not have any high priest so mortal matters were handled by a group of high-ranking priests who claimed that they always acted on the orders of their god. Thus, by the order of their god, they invited Gerold inside but only him and no other person so his holy guards and Aemar stayed outside despite the protests.
İnside of the temple was well decorated, there were golden engravings on the walls depicting a three-headed man offering light and darkness with his hands. The curious thing was, the darkness was made from gold but it was tainted with something shiny and dark. Gerold recognized it as dragonglass.
Similar to the walls, there were also engravings on the floor but they were not golden, they were silver. This temple was just like a treasure trove. Gerold was escorted in front of a group of strangers who were standing on a high platform. They were wearing three-coloured robes; their robes' left arm was white, right arm golden and chest black. It seemed as if they were trying to assert their authority over him by being in a higher place. However, Gerold did not mind it and waited for them to speak as he was the guest in the temple.
"The Trios has spoken, what do you seek heathen?" asked the priest who was in the middle of the group.
Gerold raised his head to look at the one who was speaking, "All I seek is to guide you, sinners, to the right path."
Priests have shouted at once, "Blasphemy!!", There were angry looks on their faces, "Who do you think you are?! Coming to our temple and demanding us to abandon the true God, hmph!"
Gerold coughed into his hand and said, "Of course, I don't demand anything. That was my second purpose coming here." Priest murmured to each other while Gerold continued talking, "My main purpose was to solve the three riddles."
The priests were frozen as they knew the meaning of the riddles. There were three riddles waiting to be solved in the temple and each came with a great reward that could entice everyone.
"Hmph, a heathen wishing to solve the riddles. Refusing you is not our decision but knowing this heathen, you are making a mistake." the priest who was standing in the middle looked at Gerold haughtily, "Follow me while I explain the mistake you are making."
Gerold nodded and followed without saying anything. He was ready to listen to everything the priest was going to say as every knowledge was an advantage for him.
"The Trios, the giver and taker, blessed us with his three head. With his first head, he takes our dead to rest in his eternal realm. With his third head, he gives us new lives that are cleansed in his eternal realm." Here, the priest stopped talking and his face contradicted like he was remembering something, "The second head… punishes us for our sins and takes a piece of the most valued thing of ours, our soul."
While they continued to walk, the priest shook his head to compose himself and said, "However, what is important for you is to know what you will gain and what you will lose. The first head will demand life from you if you can't solve the riddle but if you can he will give you a place in his eternal realm after you die." Gerold sniggered while the priest continued talking, "The third head will demand you to deliver him an unborn child if you can't solve his riddle and if you can he will offer to give you a child blessed by his three head."
The priest turned his head to examine the reaction of Gerold but seeing a stoic face he continued to talk, "If you can solve both the first and second head's riddle, you will be allowed to try to solve the second head's riddle. If you can solve it, you will be granted any wish you want, from riches to immortality. However, if you fail you have to give your soul to the Trios."
Gerold raised an eyebrow at these words but still did not say anything and, soon, they arrived in front of a huge statue. There was a three-headed man standing straight with a big belly. The eyes of the heads were seemingly alive.
"Each head will give you three minutes to solve their riddles and if you accept their challenge you can't back down or else you will be considered as you lost. I will be waiting outside the door, you have ten minutes." said the priest and went out and closed the doors roughly.
Gerold turned his head back to the three heads and went in front of the first head. Suddenly, the eyes of the first head were ignited and the gaze of it was on Gerold.
Gerold gulped and waited for a riddle and his waiting was answered with a voice, "Cowards are trying to hide, foxes are trying to cheat, however, time is going to prove when we will all meet. Try to guess my true name but you'll learn it only when the time comes. Who am I?"
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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